Helena Nelson

The Mermaid's View

Landmaids will mythologize:beauty is overrated.We are not obsessed with size.We are understated.We do not have to wear brasand baldness is rare.Luring sailors onto rocks is, of course,brutal. We do not care,we do it while singinggoodbye, goodbye, goodbyebecause it is in our genes, like bringingcertain types of octopihome as pets. We do not have vets.We do not have shops.We have fierce mermen. We tryto resist them but it is no use.In the main we chooseto lose our maidenhoods.It getsdarker, rougher, the wind slapsto and fro and floodsour heads with thoughts of getting awaybut we meltinto spray.

Sisters

We take each memory out.We pass them round. We sharethe fact that such things, such things were,were they not? They were.​